1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cross-country ski boot.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cross-country ski boot is described, for example, in German Patent Specification 2,942,806. In this known cross-country ski boot, the supporting surface is located at the front end of the gliding sole. Furthermore, a retaining element bent from wire is anchored (injection-molded) directly in the gliding sole of the cross-country ski boot. Such an arrangement is used in the trade, but is practicable only when the material of the gliding sole has sufficient strength. However, a softer (more elastic) sole is often desired in cross-country ski boots for leisure skiers. Such a soft gliding sole does not have the necessary tearing strength for directly anchoring the hooking element.
It has therefore already been proposed (see German Offenlegungsschrift 3,334,144) to fasten the hooking element to a metal plate-shaped insert, and anchor (injection-mold) it in the gliding sole together with the hooking element. However, the disadvantage of this known solution is that the metal insert constitutes a foreign body in the plastic gliding sole. When the foot rolls, stresses may occur which can lead to the formation of splits and cracks especially at the edges of the insert. Moreover, in this known cross-country ski boot, the supporting surface interacting with the ski tie is also composed of the (soft) sole material, thus resulting in its premature wear.
It may be mentioned, merely for the sake of completeness, that, in current products, the part intended for engaging into the ski binding is itself composed of hard plastic and is injection-molded into the boot sole. However, this is a different type of cross-country ski boot, since there is no hooking element made of bent wire.
The object of the present invention is to avoid the disadvantages of the known cross-country ski boots and provide a cross-country ski boot in which the gliding sole is highly pliable, but the hooking element can nevertheless be anchored reliably in the gliding sole, without the rolling movement of the foot being impeded thereby. Furthermore, the portion carrying the hooking element will be connected permanently to the remaining portion of the gliding sole.